Barbecue doesn’t have to be rocket science, and this carryout keeps things simple with its menu of meats, seven sauces, and sides. But everything is pretty tasty, so it’s not like picking a particular combination will be easy. For a little local flavor, try the Eastern Shore chicken.

Charcuterie, farm-fresh produce and meat, and old-fashioned items like pickles that are enjoying a renaissance in foodie circles—this is the stuff on which the Northeast favorite, rightly so, has built its reputation and gained its broad following.

Green Onion Market5500 Harford Road, (410) 444-1718$, L, D, P

The menu at this deli isn’t too big, but the fresh ingredients, which are also sold at the counter, make for tasty salads and sandwiches. Closed Mondays.

In its five-year existence, Hamilton Tavern has won us over with its crosstown burger, which features Roseda beef, sticky-spicy bacon, a fried egg, horseradish cheddar, and iceberg lettuce. Its cozy space makes it feel more like a welcoming bar than a big restaurant. We’re sold.

Koco’s Pub4301 Harford Road, (410) 426-3519, kocospub.com$$, L, D

Koco’s is a neighborhood institution, and not just because it has been around for so long. The pub food always delivers, but it is the massive crab cake, filled with jumbo lump meat, that ranks among the best in the city and keeps bringing customers back.

Offering an authentic Mexican menu that goes beyond the standard combo-plate fare, Los Amigos has tacos, fajitas, and burritos in abundance, sure, but also premium dishes such as mole ranchero and fried poblano. And hey, there’s a menu just for vegetarians.